Boat dock assembly



United States Patent Oliice 3,389,575 Patented June 25, 1968 3,389,675 BOAT DOCK ASSEMBLY Roy T. Kieft, Kalamazoo, Mich. (2326 N. 57th Place, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85257), and John M. Roch, R.F.D. 1, Shelbyville, lVIich. 49344) Filed Sept. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 582,356 7 Claims. (Cl. 114230) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A boat mooring assembly comprising a non-linear, preferably arcuate or semi-circular, strap-form spring, a hinge pivotal about a substantially horizontal axis and adapted to be mounted on a fixed surface such as a pier, one end of the spring being affixed to the pivotal portion of the hinge and having its other end adapted to be attached to a boat hull or to a pontoon of a deck boat which is to be moored, thereby providing both lateral and longitudinal springing support for the boat or pontoon.

The present invention relates to boat mooring or docking apparatus and is more particularly concerned with such novel apparatus which is simple and inexpensive to fabricate and which provides safe and reliable mooring for floating objects such as boats, pontoons, and similar floating devices, hereinafter collectively referred to as a boat.

Various types of boat mooring or docking apparatus have been disclosed in the prior art. In some cases, the disclosed devices are not sufficiently strong to prevent the boats or other floating devices to which they are aflixed from bumping against the dock or pier. Other devices, although they are sufficiently strong and rigid, do not provide adequate cushioning action when a boat is being rocked or pushed about by wind or waves. Still other devices, although they provide proper support for the boat, are large and cumbersome and often are extremely expensive to fabricate.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for mooring or docking boats and similar floating devices which is strong and provides adequate support for keeping the boat in spaced relation with respect to the dock or pier. It is a further object to provide an apparatus of the type described which offers soft springing support in relation to the dock or pier, without permitting the boat to collide therewith. It is an additional object to provide a docking apparatus which, while providing sufiicient support with respect to movement in the direction of the dock or with respect to horizontal directions, yet permits the boat to move freely upward or downward with the tide or with the waves. It is still further an object to provide an apparatus for docking or mooring a boat which is relatively inexpensive to produce. It is still an additional object to provide a mooring or c ocking device which may be readily attached to or detached from the boat which is being moored, docked, or the reverse. The accomplishment of the foregoing and additional objects will become more fully apparent hereinafter.

The invention in its preferred embodiment is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a boat dock having the boat mooring apparatus of the present invention al'lixed thereto.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a single mooring assembly showing its means of attachment to both a dock and a boat.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken at the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the end of the spring which is an important part of the mooring assembly of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a bracket adapted to receive and secure the end of the spring shown in FIG. 4.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawing for a better understanding of the invention, wherein all the parts are numbered and wherein the same numbers are used to refer to the same parts throughout.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a pier or dock 1 is illustrated comprising longitudinal beams 2 having a plurality of transverse slats 3 aflixed thereto by means such as nailing. A plurality of mooring assemblies 4 and 5 are mounted on one of the longitudinal beams 2, and comprise arcuate (as for example semicircular) strapform or leaf strings 6 and 7 formed of a material such as spring steel. The springs 6 and 7 are affixed to slecves 8 and 9, respectively, by any suitable means such as welding. The sleeves 8 and 9 are rotatably journaled over shafts 10 and 11, respectively, which shafts are supported by brackets 12 and 13, and 14 and 15, respectively, the brackets in turn being affixed to the longitudinal beam 2 by suitable means such as screws or bolts. Cotter pins 16 and washers 16a retain the shafts 10' and 11 in place in holes in the brackets 12, 13, 14 and 15. The other ends of the springs are of reduced width to provide tangs 17 and 18 having latch-receiving holes 19 and 20, as shown in FIG. 4. The tangs 17 and 18 are adapted to be inserted through slots 21 and 22 provided in brackets 23 and 2 4 which are adapted to be afiixed to the boat by suitable means such as screws 25, a bracket being illustrated in detail in FIG. 5. The tangs 17 and 18 are latched in place in the slots 21 and 22 of the brackets 23 and 24 by means of hooks 26 and 27 adapted to be inserted through the holes 19* and 20. In order to prevent loss of the hooks 26 and 27, they are aflixed to the ends of chains 28 and 29, which chains have their ends engaged by metal loops 30 and 31 which are in turn affixed as by welding to the sleeves 8 and 9, respectively.

Where the boat which is moored is to be subjected to substantial longitudinal forces, diagonally extending chains 32 and 33 may be provided which are afiixed at one end to a ringed bolt 34 mounted through a hole at the end of the spring 6. The other ends of the chains are afiixed to the longitudinal beam 2 by means of helical draw bar springs 35 and 36 and screw eyes 37 and 38. The chains 32 and 33 and springs 35 and 36 are arranged in spring-loaded condition to permit restrained forward and aft movement of the boat without a direct pull on either the dock or the springs 6 and 7.

In mooring or docking a boat, the boat is brought into the vicinity of the pier. The springs 6 and 7 are then raised and subsequently the tangs 17 and 18 are inserted through the notches 21 and 22 provided in the brackets 23 and 24 which are mounted on the boat itself. The hooks 26 and 27 are then inserted through holes in the tangs, positively locking the assembly and preventing the tangs from being withdrawn' As shown in FIG. 2, after the boat has been moored, it may rise or descend with the tide or waves, while still being secured by the mooring assemblies. A cushioning action toward or away from the pier is provided by the arcuate springs 6 and 7 which maintain the boat at a suitable distance from the pier, while still providing a soft cushioning and preventing the boat from being damaged. The fact that the springs 6 and 7 are in the form of strap-form leaf springs prepared from spring steel limits the amount of forward and aft movement of the boat. Where it is desired to limit the movement even further, the diagonal spring and chain arrangement as shown in FIG. 1 may be additionally utilized. To release the boat, it is only necessary to remove the books 26 and 27 and to lift the springs 6 and 3 7, thereby withdrawing the tangs 17 and 1.8 from the slots 21 and 22. After the boat has been detached, the springs 6 and 7 are permitted to hinge downward and to come to rest in a vertical plane in relation to the edge of the dock. In this position the assemblies do not interfere with the boat when it is brought in parallel with the dock.

The present mooring assemblies have many advantages over prior art devices designed for the same purpose. When the assemblies are attached to a boat, the boat is allowed free action to push inward or pull outward to and from the dock with only a gentle spring or cushioning action to prevent the boat from hitting the dock with a strong force. The mooring assemblies permit free rise or fall with the waves or tide. The assemblies also permit the fore and aft portions of the boat to move independently by means of the hinging action, While preventing excessive pull on the dock. Moreover, since the springs 6 and 7 are leaf springs, a gentle restraining action is provided in a fore and aft direction which does not interfere in any manner with the freedom of the boat to move laterally against the spring or to rise or fall in a vertical direction. Moreover, where it is necessary, diagonal spring-loaded chains may be utilized to augment the fore and aft restraining motion. In spite of the many advantages which the present invention offers, it is simple and relatively inexpensive to fabricate and functions for long periods of time even under the influence of high wind velocities and with complete safety to the boat moored thereby, and without strain on the dock to which the assemblies are attached.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, or exact materials or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A boat mooring assembly comprising a strap-form spring which is non-linear in the unstressed condition, hinge means having a pivotal portion adapted to be mounted on a fixed surface with said pivotal portion pivotal about a substantially horizontal axis, one end of said spring being alfixed to said pivotal portion in generally perpendicular relationship thereto, the other end of said spring having means provided for being attached to a boat to be moored, said spring being adapted to provide substantial resilient restraining force for said boat in all horizontal directions.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said spring is arcuate.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said spring is semicircular.

4. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said hinge means comprises a shaft having bracket means for being aifixed at its ends to a surface and a tube rotatably journaled thercover, and wherein one end of said spring is affixed to the outer surface of said tube in generally perpendicular relationship thereto.

5. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said means for attaching the other end of said spring to a boat comprises a bracket adapted to be mounted on said board having a slot provided therein, the end of said spring being reduced in width to provide tang means adapted to be inserted in said slot there-by connecting said spring to said bracket, and latch means for securing said tang means within said slot.

6. An assembly according to claim 5 wherein a latching hook is provided adapted to be inserted in a hole provided in said tang means, thereby latching said tang means within said slot, and including elongate means having one end afiixed to said hinge means and the other end affixed to said latching hook.

7. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein means is provided for impeding longitudinal motion of said boat comprising elongate means having a central portion connected to the free end of said strap-form spring and auxiliary spring means associated with and adapted to provide spring biasing force to said elongate means, one such auxiliary spring means on each side of said strap-form spring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,569,783 10/1951 Smith 114-230 3,120,831 2/1964 Fulton 1l4230 3,196,824 7/1965 Howard 1l4230 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. MILTON BUCHLER, Examiner. T. M. BLIX, Assistant Examiner. 

